First Steps to Plan Your Wedding

Step 1: Guest List

Write down every person you’d love to invite to your wedding. You may even create a couple of lists — must have and like to have. (Keep in mind, it’s good to have a “B-list”. Those guests can be invited once “no” RSVPs start to come in.) Your guest count will dictate most of your planning as many vendors use this number for proposals. 50 vs. 150 guests make a big difference.

Pro tip: about 20% of guests RSVP no

Step 2: Budget

Budget dictates everything. Unless you have an unlimited budget, it’s important to know how much money you’d like to spend. An overall and itemized budget will allow you to spend thoughtfully and not emotionally. If you’re in a saturated market, a budget range will narrow your vendor pool in turn making the search less overwhelming.

Step 3: Priorities

Each couple has priorities and it’s important to put thought into each wedding element and decide what’s the most important. This will allow you to focus on those vendors first and give budget wiggle room if you fall in love with a vendor (or venue!) that’s slightly out of the budget. Then you can cut costs elsewhere.